DARIO Gradi insists leaving several of his young stars out on loan during an injury crisis is not a mistake.

While Paul Bignot was recalled from Kidderminster Harriers to plug a gap at Bradford on Saturday, the likes of Mark Roberts (Halifax), Ritchie Sutton (Stafford), Adam Warlow (Witton), Robert Lloyd (Witton) and Tom Pope (Barrow) are elsewhere, making the Alex's squad seem threadbare. Mark Carrington has extended his stay at Kidsgrove Athletic into a third month.

But Gradi said: 'We send them out to get experience and you should let them play in all competitions to do that, which means a lot are cup-tied.

'Carrington would have probably been on the bench on Saturday, but it is not a mistake. They are at these clubs for their development.'